Trust me, celibacy does not stop one from thinking about sex. That's a misconception. That said, when celibacy is lived well, it can enable one to channel sexual energy toward other creative horizons (prayer, for example).

Speaking of "master of their domain," there was an episode of SEINFELD where George swore off sex--or perhaps he simply didn't have a girlfriend and had no choice, I don't recall exactly now--and, free of the bedevilment of sexual desire or activity, he blossomed into a virtual genius and font of wisdom and maturity. In the end, he gave in to a flirtation and his newfound genius and sagacity immediately disappeared.

Two thoughts come:1) the abstaining act of the will is a good exercise whether from food or from sex. This strengthens one's will to be boss over the body's demands and addictions. 2) Since sex is good for you like a healthy diet is good for you, try to find a committed relationship with a loving partner which can be like eating a healthy diet that avoids the poisoning that comes from rotten people or from rotten food. Bon appetit!

If I could add one to the list of four, which may connect to the post title one.

Eliminating sex means eliminating the strategies pursued to find sexual partners. We perform to make those connections. Absence that goal, free from that goal, we're free to pursue our particular interests, to throw ourselves into relating more freely to others and more freely to ourselves. We able to become more of who we particularly are, without worry.

And, curiously enough, doing that later on opens up all kinds of unintentional doors.

Divorce pretty much took care of things for me. When I was married, I was perplexed why my friends, men and women, put themselves through the things they did, with the cheating, serial break-ups, constant negotions, financial entanglements, misunderstandings, etc. Now that I'm divorced and, I think, see people for what they are capable of, I recoil from the idea of human contact, and find myself laughing at what others do for it. (Having started early, and then been married for 20 years, I'd never do any of that - it's just not worth it.) I'm willing to wait for someone special and what comes naturally.

Does it free up time? I guess (I never considered my marriage time-consuming). Do I still think of sex? Nope: I think of intimacy - and miss it. Because I didn't have as many "negative" thoughts as I do now, I can't speak to the "tremendous amount of brain space" thing. I've always been musically creative, though I haven't been able to indulge it much since the divorce, but the ideas keep on coming. Once I finish digging myself out of this post-divorce debt, I'll let you know if anything's different. I doubt it - except for the fact that women will, once again, regard me as much more than just "some guy" when I'm out-and-about. (That's been a major change.) I, on the other hand, will never see the opposite sex the same - and that will definitely be a change. No more feminist anthems like this (address broke in two parts):

The "non-religious" reasons to be celibate sound just like the religious ones. Point for point.

Of course, if your idea of "religious" reasons are "God said so" and never a single thought as to *why* God might say so... then it might not seem like the same list.

God saying so does help people who care about that to follow through with something that is difficult. It can also be a good alternative for having to answer a question that's none of anyone elses business.

There's a carny trick where the bottles have leaden bottoms. You pay a dollar to throw three balls at them. It's looks easy, but the laws of physics are such that it is not possible to knock the balls over and win a prize. Marriage, celibacy, polygamy, sheep fucking: All these stratagems have the same result: you lose. If there were a sure fire route from sex to everlasting happiness someone would have hit on it by now. Every so often the carney barker lets someone like Freeman win, but that's only so the other marks will ante up a dollar to play the game.

Being celibate is a choice that is made by each individual based on moral and spiritual beliefs. If this choice brings peace and joy to a persons life than it is right. The choice isn't going to be the same for every individual on the face of the earth.